


Right Next Door To Hell

by princess_mouse



Category: Guns N' Roses
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drug Dealing, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Immaturity, M/M, pre-fame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-15 10:31:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13029171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_mouse/pseuds/princess_mouse
Summary: While Duff is away Izzy doesn't want to play (nice).-hiatus- will return when I'm done my BVB fics-





	1. Chapter 1

It was a dreary morning in LA. The gray clouds filled the sky and little droplets of rain drummed against the windows. The wind forced more of the autumn leaves to fall around the yard and plaster to Izzy’s black 1975 Chevelle Malibu parked outside the yellow house. Inside the house the sound of Cat Steven’s Teaser and the Firecat played over the turntable. Moans added some extra flare to the mellow music in the bedroom.

Duff’s knuckles were white from his iron grip on the wooden spindles of their headboard. His head was pushed into the mattress as he tried his best not to lose his submissiveness. Izzy was behind him putting him through a form of slow sexual torture. His hands would sometimes grip the roundness of Duff’s ass or give a firm spank. When Duff answered Izzy’s questions to his satisfaction he would be rewarded.

“Tell me why you dyed your hair blue,” Izzy quizzed. He leaned forward and pressed a few kisses down the thin blonde’s back.

A shiver ran down Duff’s spine from being overly sensitive. Izzy was waiting to inch more of his dick into Duff if he liked the answer. When he didn’t like the answer, he pulled out more. It was Izzy’s favorite game to play. “I wanted to be punk,” Duff moaned in frustration. He loved this game but also hated it too.

“You know how this works. Elaborate, luv,” Izzy teased as he pushed in a little bit more. Duff shuddered and a desperate moan was elicited from him. “Maybe you should beg. I might feel merciful and fuck you.”

Duff was overly sensitive as Izzy decided to pull back a bit more. His whimpering moan was enough to throw Izzy off his game. The blonde pushed back and attempted to intrigue his boyfriend. Begging wasn’t his favorite thing, he always ended up sounding like a desperate whore. That word crossing his thought process made him shiver in disgust. His breathing got heavy as he tried to push the anxiety of that word from his mind. Soft lips against his skin brought him back into the moment and eased the tension he was feeling. Duff’s breathing hitched for a second and Izzy waited. Fingers gently massaged at tanned skin in encouragement.

“Please?”

Izzy moaned as he pushed back into the waiting body, “Please what?”

“Iz, I want you to do whatever you want,” the blonde whispered. He kept his face buried into the mattress as he waited. He loved handing control over to Izzy who buried his hand into his hair and pulled as hard as he could. Even if begging wasn’t Duff’s thing, moaning was. He didn’t care how he sounded in a moment of pleasure especially when it was Izzy who made him feel that way. It was the begging that he couldn’t do.

The brunette rolled his hips and gave Duff more. Izzy loved the feeling of his boyfriend trembling beneath him. He also loved the way his boyfriend followed orders. “Duff baby, you feel so good,” Izzy moaned as he pulled harder at the blonde hair wrapped around his fingers.

Duff’s hands began to hurt as he gripped the spindles for dear life as Izzy picked up the pace. Before he had a chance to clasp his mouth shut he was begging. Izzy kept hitting the right spot and caused Duff to verbalize more. “Right there! Pull my hair,” Duff begged.

“You’re so bossy. I love it,” Izzy laughed. He was aware of Duff’s dislike for begging and he knew how to draw it out of his boyfriend. All it took was some hair pulling and a few sharp slaps to Duff’s ass and he was begging Izzy to destroy him.

There were so many things Izzy loved, little idiosyncrasies that made Duff the most unique person he ever met. The way he doted upon Axl, Slash, and Steven and made them each feel special was one of those selfless things Duff did naturally. He always needed to take care of everyone else that Izzy was the only one permitted to take care of him. Duff’s wide range of patience made it easier for everyone living in the house to feel comfortable. The kindness and patience translated into a joint effort to keep the house spotless or well-kept by Duff’s standard. Each morning Izzy would watch his boyfriend fluff his blonde hair and huff at it as if it inconvenienced him before he would line his eyes with eyeliner and lastly press a kiss to Izzy’s lips. It didn’t matter if it was 5:00 am or 10:30 am Duff would fuss over his hair and before leaving give Izzy a kiss. Other trivial things always reminded Izzy how much he loved his boyfriend from how he goofed around while waiting for his coffee to brew to how many times he would dunk a tea bag in hot water. The way Duff would tuck pieces of Izzy’s brunette hair behind his ear before looking him in the eyes and saying, ‘I love you’. These were all little things that made Izzy truly appreciate Duff’s presence in his life and he knew Duff loved all his little quirks too.

Duff’s begging and moaning was becoming more desperate as Izzy gave him exactly what he wanted. It was Wednesday which meant it was Duff and Izzy’s day together. The others were at work, which meant Duff could scream his lungs out if he wanted. Not that the others would dare taunt Izzy or Duff about having sex loudly.

“Harder!” Duff yelled. “Fuck, Jeff! I’m so close.”

Izzy’s hand slapped Duff’s ass hard as he gave his boyfriend what he wanted. He was starting to feel that familiar tingle in his abdomen and Duff clenching around him was driving him wild. He would keep spanking and pulling Duff’s hair till he came. The blonde’s hands were starting to hurt and he buried his face into the mattress as he started to moan and scream. His body was tingling through his orgasm and Izzy started to slow his pace just to torment him. Izzy let his own orgasm overtake him and he leaned over Duff’s body till he caught his breath.

Duff’s body shuddered from oversensitivity. He released his grip on the headboard spindles and relaxed. Izzy’s body draped over his in a warm affectionate blanket. Soft lips affectionately kissed at his sweat slicked skin. They both waited till they caught their breath and came down from their orgasms before separating. Izzy rolled onto his side and Duff lay on his back to stare at the ceiling.

“I love you,” Izzy said letting his fingers trace over Duff’s cheek fondly. He watched the blonde rub his hands to regain some of the blood flow. He knew they would have to eventually get up and start their day.

Wednesday’s were spent having some alone time together then bagging all Izzy’s weed for the week. Duff would wrinkle his nose as they weighed and bagged the drugs but that didn’t stop him from helping. Izzy knew that his boyfriend wasn’t keen about him dealing even if it paid the bills and put food on the table. It was the only thing they argued about regularly. Everyone lived in a better home because of that job. Duff had his baking job, Axl worked at Tower Records/Video, Slash worked in a pet shop, and Steven washed dishes. Everyone had their jobs and Izzy had his. He promised Duff that he would stop selling the hard stuff and only sell weed even if the other drugs brought in more money. If it made Duff stop worrying, he would make the sacrifice.

The blood started to flow through Duff’s cramped fingers again, he smiled playfully thinking about how happy he felt. His body was thrumming from the pleasure and he knew he would have a bounce in his step today as he tended to his chores. “I love you too,” the blonde hummed pleasantly.

They lay together enjoying their alone time. It was a rainy day anyways which meant it was the perfect excuse to stay in bed a little while longer. Duff’s eyelids grew heavy as he cuddled up to Izzy under the homemade quilt on their bed. Cat Steven’s had cut out long ago and neither of them could be bothered to get up to put another record on. Outside all the leaves waited to be raked up, in a locked box in their closet was the weed that needed to be bagged, a laundry basket sat overflowing by the door, and upstairs the bathroom needed to be cleaned. Most of those chores awaited Duff when he woke up but there was no rush, he knew Izzy would help if he batted his eyelashes enough.

Duff’s soft breathing was starting to lull Izzy to sleep. It was a soothing sound in contrast to the rain drummer against their bedroom window. The sounds of solitude were welcomed in contrast to the usual soundtrack that accompanied their home. Axl’s constant complaining, Slash’s need to tease, and Steven’s whining was the soundtrack of their lives. Axl wasn’t happy unless he was bugging someone, Steven wanted validation and to be heard, and Slash was content making jokes. Heavy foot steps, loud music, screaming, doors slamming, and the announcement of a snake being loose in the house were as normal as it got. Duff would happily hum and take in his surroundings with acceptance, long as the house was clean and tidy, he didn’t care what the other three did. Izzy on the other hand was not patient enough to deal with everyone’s bullshit.

Izzy longed for these days, the ones that promised him twelve hours of freedom from his housemates and friends. But the silence only lasted a moment longer as the shrill sound of the phone echoed through the house. Duff stirred beside him and grumbled in response to the offensive sound.

“That better not be Tracy. I told him yesterday I wasn’t dealing till Thursday,” Izzy swore as he pushed Duff off him and got out of bed. He grabbed the first piece of clothing he saw on the floor to cover up his manhood as he streaked out of their bedroom and down the hall. Holding Duff’s shirt tightly over his lower half, his freehand grabbed the phone.

“Hel-oh fuck you!” Izzy swore angrily as the person hung up in his ear. He slammed the phone down hard on the receiver and stomped his way back to bed. Just as he was about to crawl back into bed the phone started to ring again. He didn’t have a temper per say but he was impatient. Duff was now sitting up in bed giving Izzy that look- the one that conveyed love but warning to be nice. Groaning in frustration Izzy walked back into the hall and stopped at the small table that their phone sat on. Taking a breath, he picked up the phone again.

“What!” he snapped into the phone.

He could feel Duff’s eyes on his naked back and a blush was rising on his cheeks. He turned around to see his boyfriend leaning against the doorframe in his boxers. He was getting an earful on the phone and he tried to gently apologize before holding the phone out to Duff. The taller man took a few strides down the hallway and carefully took the phone from Izzy.

“It’s your mom,” Izzy mouthed quietly as he slinked his way down the hall. He wanted to go hide under the bed and wait for the embarrassment to fade. Duff’s mom despised Izzy and she made that clear when she came to visit. She was suspicious of how they could afford to rent this house. She questioned a lot which made everyone uncomfortable, she cared about her son, and wanted what was best for him. Izzy couldn’t fault any mother for caring about their child, but she tended to lecture him when she could.

From the safety of their bedroom Izzy listened to Duff. He was calmly talking till there was a slight change in his voice. Izzy recognized the subtle change and found himself peaking out the door where he saw Duff running his fingers through his matted blonde hair. He paced nervously around the table trying to negotiate on the phone. “I have work in the morning. No, I’m not saying that work is more important than family. I’ll take the first bus I can out ok?” Duff said chewing at his bottom lip. He said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. All the while Izzy watched him stand in the hall now chewing at his fingernails. He knew all those little habits were caused by anxiety.

“Duff?”

The blonde turned around and his big hazel eyes were full of worry. “My dad’s in the hospital,” Duff said passively. “My mom wants all of us to come home right away.”

There wasn’t a lot to talk about because Duff wasn’t in a talking mood. He showered and started to tidy up the house before he started to pack. All the while Izzy followed him around trying to make him feel better. He poked lightly as Duff’s ribs in hopes to make him laugh but he only gave a weak smile at the effort. They sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee and bagging weed. The faint sounds of Led Zeppelin was playing in the living room as they worked. Izzy stole a few glances at his boyfriend whose blonde hair was flat and void of product. No eyeliner lined his hazel eyes and between sips of coffee he smoked a few cigarettes to settle his nerves.

“I was thinking maybe you could take the Chevelle instead of the bus,” Izzy said casually trying to lighten the mood. He reached out and snagged the cigarette nestled between Duff’s lips.

Duff looked up from his task of bagging the weekly supply to see Izzy taking a long drag off his cigarette. He knew he should be enjoying his last hours with Izzy before he drove home to Seattle, instead he was moping around the house feeling sorry for himself.

“I mean it. I can survive without the car,” Izzy emphasised blowing smoke at his boyfriend.

The blonde coughed and waved the smoke away. “Will you be okay here alone? I mean I could probably prepare all the meals now, so you don’t have to do any cooking,” Duff offered.

“I’ve got the three idiots, I won’t be alone,” Izzy laughed.

Duff nodded his head and went back to work. He wanted to make sure Izzy had everything he needed for work. Then he would start writing out the instructions on how to make some of the meals he had planned and would leave the ingredients for the boys. He walked through the house making sure to water the plants and write down a few things that needed to be done while he was gone. On the kitchen table sat a thick envelope with **Axl, Slash & Steven **written on it in felt tip marker, along with all the ingredients for homemade mac and cheese. For Izzy he left a short letter on their pillow with instructions to read later.

It was late afternoon and the rain was coming down in torrents when Duff started to tear apart the hall closet in search of his Converse shoes and leather jacket. It didn’t take long for him to slip on his worn pair of shoes and jacket. He stood there awkwardly staring at Izzy, he was somewhere between ready and not ready. For him home was here with Izzy and the boys in Los Angeles. Seattle was a distant memory he liked to avoid if he could.

Izzy sensed Duff’s uneasiness and pulled him into a tight hug.

“You can always call home. I’ll be here to answer,” Izzy promised. He could feel Duff physically melt into the hug and relax.

“Be patient with the boys okay?”

The brunette bit his tongue. He knew that was coming and he couldn’t promise anything regarding Axl, Slash, and Steven but if it would put Duff’s mind at ease he’d try. “I’ll try but I can’t make any promises,” Izzy said lightly.

“I should go. I’ll call you when I’m half way okay?” Duff said looking into Izzy’s blue eyes. He waited a beat before pulling away and bending down to pick up his duffle bag.

With that Izzy dug the car keys from his pocket and handed them over to Duff. “Call me when you get to your mom’s house safely too. Are you sure you don’t want anymore money? I don’t want you getting stuck,” Izzy fussed.

“You’ve given me enough. I love you,” Duff said pecking a quick kiss to his boyfriend’s lips.

Izzy returned the kiss and watched Duff open the front door, “I love you too, Mike.”

The rain was still pouring as the taller man ran down the front steps and towards the car. His blonde hair was beginning to get soaked causing it to wave more. Izzy waited for him to get into the car. It wasn’t long before the Chevelle was pulling out of the driveway and Duff was waving goodbye. Izzy waved and waited till the car was out of sight before closing the door. There was only two hours of silence left before the others got home.

Two hours before all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea has been story board, half started, and i pick at it every time I'm stuck at my desk night shifting. 
> 
> Since it is tourism season and I am bored out of my skull till I take my tour groups out why not share this with you!


	2. Chapter 2

Axl stomped up the front steps at quarter after six to find the house dark inside. He noted that the Chevelle wasn’t in the driveway and the house was quiet. There was no smell of food wafting through the house, all the lights were out, and there was no music or TV chasing away the silence. He felt uneasy as he walked through the house and flicked on the living room lights; all around him things seemed off. Axl wasn’t alone with his concerns long as Slash snaked his arms around the redhead’s thin waist.

“You didn’t wait for me,” Slash said in a low tone. He tightened his grip around Axl’s body and kissed his cheek.

That small gesture made Axl feel guilty. He’d rushed home because of a flirtatious customer and completely forgot that he was walking home with Slash after they got off work. He forced a smile to his face and relaxed into the warm embrace. “I’m sorry,” Axl replied.

“No need to be sorry but you’re drenched,” Slash said pecking Axl on the cheek again. He wanted to ask more questions. The ridged way that Axl was standing in the middle of the living room, drenched head to toe was enough of an indicator that something was wrong, or he had something on his mind. Slash wanted to point out that Axl could have prevented being cold and wet if he would have waited for him since he had the umbrella. Instead he decided to tread lightly since Axl had mentioned wanting to cuddle tonight.

“Ewh, you guys are disgusting!” Steven chirped as he kicked his shoes off in the landing. He was cheerfully unaware that anything was different around the house. All he saw was Axl and Slash being their usual awkward selves.

Axl growled a bit and Slash rolled his eyes. They parted but only to glare at Steven who threw himself down on the couch.

The small blonde looked around the living room and looked at his roommates with a confused look. “Where’s Izzy and Duff?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah where’s Izzy and Duff?” Slash reiterated.

It was Wednesday which meant Duff would make homemade mac and cheese and Izzy didn’t go out dealing. Usually Izzy would be seated in the kitchen reading the paper or one of his many books. The house would smell of Pine Sol and Tide as it tried to cover up the smell of Marlboro’s. There was only the faint smell of cleaning product and things were missing around the living room, particularly on the small shelves. The plants had been moved as well as all the movies that were stacked up next to the TV. The darkness that settled into the rest of the house managed to still creep into the soft glow of the living room making everything appear eerie. 

Steven’s blue eyes looked around nervously and Slash looked to Axl for the answer. Neither of them sure how they missed such subtle everyday occurrences in their house. Their lives were a routine. Each day of the week was practically the same minus what Duff decided to cook for supper. They had defined work schedules, band practices were in the evening, movie nights and hanging out were set in stone so everyone had alone time and time together. They had chores and responsibilities around the house, so it wasn’t always left to one person to clean up. They were all creatures of habit and comfort because of their routines.

“Maybe Izzy is out dealing,” Steven said shifting in his spot on the worn couch.

Slash shook his head knowingly and his lips set in a hard line, “He wouldn’t be dealing. It’s possible him and Duff went out.”

“Let’s check the fridge. If they went somewhere Duff would leave us a note,” Axl said confidently. He didn’t want to say he was worried but there was obviously something going on. He forced his feet to move as he walked the short distance into the kitchen. Behind him he could hear the footfalls of his friends following.

Flicking on the kitchen light, the room lite up in a golden glow. It didn’t take long for Axl to notice the thick envelope on the table with their names on it. Standing on either side of him was Slash and Steven who nudged him forward as if he were a pig to the slaughter. He mentally thanked them sarcastically as he reached for the thick envelope. Printed on the front in Duff’s fat printing was their names from oldest to youngest.

“What’s it say?” Steven asked standing on his tip toes. 

Axl turned the envelope over in his hand and noticed it wasn’t sealed. Obviously, Duff intended for one or all of them to find and read the letter. He pulled the wad of paper free and handed the envelope to Steven, so he felt like he had a purpose. That was Duff’s approach when Steven wanted to help in the kitchen, hand him something and make him believe he was being useful. Beside him Slash snickered, he was fully aware of what Axl was doing and found humor in it. Unfolding the letter carefully Axl and Slash skimmed the letter.

**Axl, Slash & Steven, **

**By now you probably realized I am not home.**

**Find enclosed all the recipes for the meals this week. I’ve marked the ingredients with colored dots so it is easy to find! On the table is everything you need to make the homemade mac and cheese.**

**I’m going to be away for about a week but don’t worry. I’ve made sure you guys have food and started the laundry. The upstairs bathroom is clean and I watered all the plants. You’ll need to go grocery shopping - the list is in the letter as well as on the fridge. Izzy will be home and I’m sure if you treat him nice enough he might cook.**

**As I said, I’ll be gone for about a week. My dad is in the hospital and it was urgent that I returned to Seattle for a bit. I’ll call every day though and you guys can always call me. I left my mom’s number by the phone. Izzy is in charge and what he says goes. Please don’t trash the house! I cleaned a bit, but the house will need its usual thorough cleaning. I did a walk through of the house and there are a few things that each of you needs to do.**

**Axl- Pick up all your clothes and wash them. Your room needs to be vacuumed too.**

**Slash - Clean your snake cages and for the love of god don’t let any mice get loose.**

**Steven - Dishes belong in the kitchen not on your floor. Please clean your whole room top to bottom!**

**Other than that, I have a few ground rules:**

  1. **No parties!**
  2. **Don’t leave dirty dishes all over the house (Steven)**
  3. **Use the ashtrays not glasses or bottles (Slash & Izzy)**
  4. **Clean up after yourselves.**
  5. **Don’t let the snakes slither around the house.**
  6. **Please don’t break any of my pig ornaments.**
  7. **Respect each other and personal spaces. (Axl, Slash, Steven)**
  8. **No drugs! - just because I’m not home doesn’t mean that rule is exempt.**



**In regard to Izzy, please be patient with him. He promised to be as patient as possible with you guys. He’s going to probably have some rules too. Please try to get along for me! It’s only a week and all I ask is you all try your best.**

**Axl- Try to use your words in a constructive instead destructive way.**

**Slash - Don’t tease or joke too much. Axl doesn’t like the snakes so don’t torment him.**

**Steven- You’re important. You matter and we all love you.**

**Izzy might be grumpy; you guys know that he cares about each of you. Please be kind, don’t push his buttons, and listen to him. If he wants to be alone let him be alone. He’s stubborn and the more you annoy him the more stubborn he gets. Also, if he does start to get too quiet or breaks rule number three - gently nudge him back in line. Please take care of Izzy for me. He means the world to me and you all know we don’t do well with distance.**

**I’ll miss each of you and wish I could have given you all a hug before I left. I look forward to hearing how each of your days are when I call!**

**Luv,**

**Duff xox**

**P.s. If you decide not to take my warning about Izzy and intentionally piss him off; you’re on your own!**

Steven stared at Slash and Axl whose mouths hung open in shock.

“Why are we still standing here?” Slash asked mischievously. His mouth turned up into his usual shit eating grin.  

Axl looked at him with an equally devious smile. He knew they should heed Duff’s warning, but he couldn’t help himself especially with Slash smiling at him in that troublemaking way. “If Duff’s gone then Izzy would have gone out dealing. I say we snoop,” Axl whispered slyly.

The little blonde stood watching the two older men devising their plan and he took that moment to pry the letter from the redhead’s hands. The letter was easily forfeited and Steven started to read through the letter. He didn’t even notice that he was alone in the kitchen till he heard the heavy stomping of Axl and Slash running up the hardwood stairs. Inside he felt a little numb because as usual they weren’t including him in their plans. He tried not to pout since he was already used to Axl getting all his best friend’s attention. Izzy and Duff tried to make him feel better a few weeks ago by saying things would return to normal once Slash figured out his feelings for Axl though he highly doubted that would be the case. Once his best friend was hooked on something he hardly looked back.

“Steven! Get up here!” Slash bellowed from upstairs. He leaned over the banisher watching gleefully for his best friend to make his way into view. He knew Steven was dragging his feet and being cautious in case this was a prank which had Slash’s stomach in knots. When the blonde came into view he was still carrying Duff’s letter as he trudged up the stairs.

Slash knew this was probably a bad idea. Izzy and Duff’s room had always been off limits. The two never allowed anyone in. Duff was one of the only people in the house who was permitted in everyone’s rooms mostly because he was cleaning or doing damage control. There wasn’t many hide aways in the house, making bedrooms the best place to retreat. When Steven finally got to the top of the stairs his blue eyes widened as he saw Axl poking his head out of one place he shouldn’t be. Slash could feel the tension building and he was stuck somewhere between siding with Steven on this being a bad idea and wanting to follow Axl into the room to snoop.

Clearing his throat Steven held up the letter. “It says right in the house rules to respect each other and personal spaces. That’s breaking a lot of trust don’t you think? They don’t want us in here ever. Why is it okay just because Izzy is out or Duff is away?” the younger man asked meekly. He knew he was a follower but he couldn’t break Duff’s trust. He had way too much respect for Izzy and Duff, they tended to be on his side and he knew they wouldn’t be to impressed knowing he aided these two in their stupid plan.

“You can stand watch,” Axl countered. “Then you don’t incriminate yourself.”

Slash offered his own words of wisdom with a laugh, “We won’t take or break anything. Rule number six respect the pigs!”

Steven groaned, he turned around to sit on the top step, and play lookout. He had a perfect view of the landing and front door from there. “If Izzy comes home and catches us I’m telling him everything,” he threatened. He read over the letter again, committing everything Duff expected to memory.

“We won’t get caught if you do your job,” Axl snipped as he disappeared back into the forbidden room. Slash slipped in and was in awe of what he saw.

It was different from everyone else’s rooms.

On the queen-sized bed was a homemade quilt that Izzy’s grandma made him. A stuffed pig and a letter addressed to Izzy were placed on the pillows. On each side of the bed were nightstands with two matching lamps. One wall was covered in band posters and band merch while the other was all Polaroid photos of Izzy and Duff together. A small bookshelf housed Izzy’s favorite books and the couple’s collection of vinyls. On top of the bookshelf was the turntable and a few very special pig ornaments Izzy had bought for Duff. They were the kind of ornaments that were too valuable to sit in the living room. A few decorative pillows and pig stuffies sat in the corner. To the far right of the room was their closet.   

Slash stood in front of the photo wall and took in the sights. There were a lot of photos of them together at various stages of their relationship. A few photo booth photos were stuck to the wall which could have only been taken during their travels to Washington. Stepping back a bit he noticed that the photos were in timeline order. It chronicled the almost three-year relationship perfectly. Izzy smiled a lot in those photos and looked genuinely happy when he was looking at Duff. There were photos of Duff leaning against Izzy’s Chevelle in a desert, photos of Izzy with a cat, lots of photos of them at concerts and the ticket stubs were stuck next to the photos. Slash couldn’t help but feel the love radiating from those photos. There were so many photos where one of them wasn’t aware they had their photo taken or looked up at the right moment to capture the true beauty one sees when they are in love. He wasn’t sure who took some of the photos but there were some romantic couple photos of them staring longing at each other or kissing. Some of those photos felt like private moments that weren’t meant for Slash’s eyes.

“I took that photo,” Axl said pointing out a particular photo of Duff leaning down and kissing Izzy near a Christmas tree. “It was our first Christmas at the old house. They were always so shy about being themselves around me so I hung mistletoe all over the house. It was mostly Izzy being shy till Duff decided it shouldn’t matter. In all the years I’ve known Izzy no one has brought him so far out of his comfort zone like Duff has,” Axl said fondly.

“What’s this one all about?” Slash asked pointing out a photo of Izzy straddling Duff’s waist in an unfamiliar living room.

Axl burst out laughing as the memory came flooding back. “Duff really wanted to get his nose pierced like Izzy. Little did he know that Izzy did all his own piercings at home, that was the photo of Duff getting his nose pierced. He was so upset after he cried for about an hour. Izzy sat with him apologizing and trying to make him stop hyperventilating,” Axl said sympathetically.

“Izzy pierced my nose and it wasn’t that bad,” Slash said laughing.

“Izzy’s come a long way from using safety pins.”

The comment made both boys collectively cringe. Everyone in the house had at least one piercing done by Izzy. Axl didn’t stay long to admire the photos. He moved to Duff’s bedside drawer only to be disappointed that there was nothing worth snooping over. Izzy’s bedside drawer similar. All he found between the two drawers was hair elastics, lighters, cigarettes, and condoms.

“They have to have sex toys somewhere,” Axl said crossing the room to look in the closet. “I know they’re into some weird shit. Duff is always screaming, and I’ve heard Izzy begging before.”

Slash’s face scrunched up disapprovingly. “I honestly thought we were searching for the weed not sex toys. Check under the bed,” Slash said. He knew that was where he hid his shoebox of stuff.

Axl looked over his shoulder at Slash who was now looking at the vinyl collection on the bookshelf. Slash’s suggestion intrigued him. “What do you have under your bed?” he asked curiously.

“Maybe we should go downstairs and find out. It’d be more fun than this,” Slash said.

The older man started to blush.

Steven was zoned out as he sat waiting, he hummed the Scooby Doo theme song, and thought about what he was going to do on his day off. He was staring off into dream land when the loud clicking sound of a key in the lock broke him from his thoughts. “Guys! Izzy!” Steven hissed. He sat innocently at the top of the stairs and studied the recipes Duff left as Axl and Slash scrambled around trying to leave the room the way they found it.

“My room!” Axl whispered as he dragged Slash towards his bedroom further down the hall.

The front door swung open and there was a string of swears being spewed by Izzy as he fought to get his drenched coat off. He kicked off his shoes and noticed Steven seated at the top of the stairs reading. There was something suspicious about him sitting there. It was quiet, too quiet. “Popcorn! What are you doing?” Izzy accused.

Steven’s head snapped up from his informative reading and he tried to think of a lie. “Slash let Clyde out and now we can’t find him,” the younger man lied.

“Right…where’s Axl and Slash?”

Steven’s heart started to race as Izzy’s blue eyes glared at him, “Um? In Axl’s room I think.”

“EVERYONE IN THE LIVING ROOM NOW!” Izzy yelled.

The booming sound of Izzy’s voice scared every member of the house and they all rushed for the living room post-haste. Steven still clung tightly to Duff’s letter as he took a seat in the middle of the couch. Slash soon join him and Axl was pulling a t-shirt over his head when he entered the living room and plopped down on the other side of Steven. Two pairs of blue eyes and one set of brown looked up to see Izzy pacing around the living. His face was stern and lacking its friendliness. He didn’t seem impressed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed in deeply.

“Okay, I have some rules and I expect you all to follow them,” Izzy started. He looked over to the three boys on the couch challenging them to argue but they didn’t, so he continued. “This house stays clean and I mean it. I’ll give you one warning by the second warning it goes in the garbage. That will include anything you value like shoes or clothes. Snakes stay in the basement and if one is loose you best find it. I’m not to keen about finding a snake hiding in the couch or something. Dishes need to be to washed and take the garbage out if it is overflowing. I’m not a maid and don’t want to be treated like one. I’ll help you guys cook some meals though. No pranks, no parties, and no running around the house naked. Lastly, whatever rules Duff left are law got it?”

Izzy’s stopped his jittery movement and crossed his arms over his chest waiting for a response. The men seated on the couch nodded their heads all knowing this was the side of Izzy they didn’t want to test.

“Understood,” Slash mumbled.

Axl gave Izzy a military salute to avoid saying something stupid.

“We know the rules,” Steven said holding up Duff’s letter as a reminder.

Izzy huffed out a frustrated sigh and walked out of the living room. He wanted to retreat to the safety of his bedroom to be alone. Looking at his housemates made him feel lonely without Duff by his side. On the way upstairs, he kept an eye out for the snake Steven claimed was slithering around the house. Upstairs their bedroom felt different without Duff laying on the bed. He saw the stuffed pig and letter waiting for him. Some part of Izzy wanted to spray some of Duff’s body spray in the room to make it smell the same. Instead Izzy curled up on the bed and picked up the letter. The pink fuzzy pig was the one Duff had since he was little and Izzy peaked over the side of the bed to see which pig stuffie the blonde took with him. It made Izzy grin when he realized it was the one he gave Duff on their first Valentines Day. He laid back on the bed and opened the letter which had a lovely little doodle of a pig on the envelope.

**My dearest Izzy,**

**I love you to the moon and back.**

**Every minute I am away from you, I am reminded how much you truly mean to me. You bring me sunshine when there are clouds. You are selfless in everything you do, you have so much love to give, and I am the luckiest man alive because I get to be in your presence.**

**I’ll miss you every day that I am away. I can’t wait till I am able to hear your voice on the phone.**

**Please try to smile while I am gone okay?**

**I know you will be a little sad but I’ll be home soon. Try to have fun and be civil. I asked the boys to do a lot of things around the house which should keep them busy and out of your hair.**

**If they are beyond rotten you have my permission to lock up the Atari. That should really put them in their place.**

**Try to be patient! Deep breaths! I’ll see you in a week.**

**I love you so much Jeff.**

**Luv,**

**Duff xoxo**

**P.s. Saturday is still sexy night!**

Izzy’s eyes were starting to itch as he reread the letter. He rolled onto his side and stared at the photos on the wall. His head hurt from all the frustration of the day, his itchy eyes were flooding over, and he gulped down the lump in his throat. He should be downstairs helping the boys make supper, but he couldn’t stomach the idea of eating right now. He missed Duff too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2! 
> 
> I promise to get some Duff in the next chapter which I'll try to have up soon. I've got a group of Ice Climbers tomorrow so hopefully we'll be back at the lodge sooner rather than later!


	3. Chapter 3

Everything was loud.

Music shook the house and the sounds of arguing escalated down in the living room.

Izzy’s hand blindly reached across the empty side of the bed and he groaned in disappointment. The sun was shining through the open curtains and he pried his eyes open. 

“What the fuck,” Izzy grumbled as he took in his surroundings. He was alone, and his head was pounding from the noise. He chanced a look at Duff’s alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 9:25 AM and Izzy cringed as he realised Slash and Steven were off work today. Izzy rubbed the sleep from his eyes and decided to go investigate. From the top of the stairs he could already see shoes kicked in every direction in the landing and in front of the stairs. As he cautiously stepped down the stairs he noticed most of the hall closet was emptied onto the floor.

His blood was boiling from the sight of the mess. He’d warned them not to be messy. Why couldn’t they follow such a simple rule?

The living room wasn’t much better, across the coffee table and floor were dishes and remnants of food. Slash and Steven sat on the couch in their underwear and t-shirts. The loud sounds came from the TV and radio as they gamed. The smell of marijuana filled the air and a snake which looked a lot like Bonnie was idly curled up on the couch between the boys. Izzy tiptoed through the mess and ventured into the kitchen.

“Holy shit,” Izzy gasped as he walked into the worst room in the house. The sink was piled with dishes. On top of the stove sat the pots that were used to make the homemade mac and cheese. Some of it was still stuck in the pot. On every surface was a mess of dishes and ingredients. Izzy stepped around some of the food that littered the floor and cringed the moment he went to avoid a pile of noodles and stepped on something sticky.

Izzy lifted his foot and tried to breath. His patience was officially gone, and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. “I’m in hell,” Izzy said to himself. The Aunt Jemima syrup stuck to his bare foot was going to be his tipping point. His hands pushed back his brown hair and he held his head for a moment. It was usually Duff who would be at this level of anxiety seeing their house like this. Duff would already have his hair pulled back in a ponytail as he muttered his cleaning chant to himself.

“I’m literally in hell,” Izzy repeated as he precariously made his way out of the kitchen. He hated a lot of things but sticky things would be his undoing. He already had syrup on his foot and he couldn’t handle stepping on anything else.  He needed a shower and a smoke to calm his nerves before he could venture back into the warzone that was the middle level of their home.

Duff was in his own version of hell when he crossed over the Washington state line.

The whole drive left nothing to be desired. Sure he had Izzy’s beautiful car and the radio was providing him a steady stream of good music but he was exhausted. He made two stops for gas and decided to keep moving. Every gas station he stopped at or saw from the road made him wary of stopping to use the payphone. Maybe he watched to many horror movies because he feared running for his life across some country field being hunted by deranged hillbillies.

If he said those thoughts aloud Izzy would laugh at him but in the end he would understand. He always did when it came to all Duff’s little insecurities. Being in Washington set off Duff’s anxiety instantly. His chest constricted causing him to think irrationally, thoughts about turning the car around and fleeing back to Los Angeles where he belonged. He’d been chased away from home almost four years ago and he still wasn’t coping. He didn’t feel welcome in any state his father was in.

He wasn’t disowned or abused. It was more along the lines of being misunderstood. He was the youngest of eight and therefore a burden upon his older siblings. He was different because of his shyness and anxiety. He got in trouble for smoking or sneaking out. He focused a lot of his time on music instead of school which really didn’t go over well with his dad. The only time he saw his dad was when he was being punished.

Punished for skipping school. Punished for dying his hair blue. Punished for being caught in a car senior year kissing a boy.

The choice words he remembered after being caught with his high school crush always caused bile to rise in his throat. Disappointed, irresponsible, a phase, immoral, and whore. His high school crush and best friend was forced to move to another town and his own family looked at him as if he were a leper. He was misguided and his immoral choices would lead him to eternal damnation. They claimed to still love him for who he was but his decisions were questionable. His mom blamed herself and begged him to find a nice girl. His dad told him to stop dressing like he was looking for trouble. His siblings distanced themselves to appease their parents.

The moment he turned eighteen he fled.

He had enough money to get to Los Angeles and make a life for himself. He washed dishes and got pushed around by older men when he worked at the bar. He felt the scrutiny and distaste for his character and all the while he welcomed it over his families words. Then Izzy showed up like a ray of sunshine or more like a knight in shining armor. He was caring and gentle. He believed Duff was better than a dishwasher which was the reason he was working as a baker now. Izzy was beautiful and no one wanted to mess with him. He looked rather feminine but he packed a punch which sent a lot of men fleeing in the other direction when they crossed him.

Izzy easily fit into Duff’s life. He hollowed out a spot and never intended to leave. The brunette was smart which gave them an advantage over other young couples in search of a home. His belief was things would and could always get better. Izzy worked hard to give Duff everything he could ever need in this life from a roof over his head to food. There was no living paycheck to paycheck and starving. There was always food and heat, always warm arms and loving support. Soon Izzy trusted Duff’s own intelligence enough to allow him to help with his drug dealing. Duff easily calculating their costs of product, resale, and profit at the kitchen table and found the best way to make money as well as filter a portion back into the next order. They had a good thing going till Duff’s morals kicked in.

Izzy smiled in that way he always did when Duff asked him to do something even when it would jeopardize their stable income. He understood and not once did he lay blame on Duff for asking him to stop selling cocaine or ecstasy. Izzy understood what this meant for them now but he was willing to stop if it was weighing too much on his boyfriend’s soul. Sure, there had been a few petty fights over selling drugs but Izzy never once complained about only selling weed. He worked twice as hard and came home with more than enough money for rent.

They fell into a loving happiness and whatever the world threw at them they could handle. From leaky ceilings to Axl’s arrival they stuck together through the best and worst times of their relationship. Duff wouldn’t trade any of it because everything else was perfect in his opinion.He missed Los Angeles where his perfect little life was on hold as he came home to deal with the past.

The last time he was in Washington he was with Izzy, who insisted they needed a holiday. It was the secret way of getting Duff to attend his parents wedding anniversary. Along the way they just happened to have some fun. Duff cursed himself for not forcing Izzy to come with him. They could call it a mini vacation- an escape from their three roommates. Lord knew sometimes the house was such a disaster or they all got fighting to the point Izzy and Duff wanted a break. Wednesdays and Saturdays weren’t always enough alone time for them.

“I hope Izzy is alright,” Duff mumbled to himself.

Izzy would be pacing since he had yet to call like he promised. Anyways, it gave the brunette some time to set some boundaries and police the house. He was only two hours away from his destination and driving continuously had been one of his better ideas. Then he could talk to Izzy for longer than five minutes.

Duff hummed along to Another One Bites the Dust and recalled all his happiest memories to keep him awake. If Izzy was on his mind he could stay focused.

The same could be said for Izzy who retreated to the upstairs bathroom and had yet to come out. He dragged the phone along with him in case Duff called. He got his anger under control and planned to stay in the shower till the hot water turned cold. The moment he got out of the shower he intended to give Slash and Steven a chance to clean the house before he unplugged the Atari as a punishment. He smiled happily imagining how mad they would be but it was fair.

Somewhere deep down he expected his roommates to do whatever they wanted. They would have seventeen hours notice to get the house into a living standard when Duff confirmed he was returning to Los Angeles. He figured they would avoid him at all costs in hopes he wouldn’t have patience or nerves to ask them to do something. They didn’t try this stuff with Duff, there seemed to be a different level of respect or honor among thieves when it came to who was calling the shots.

The water was starting to turn cold causing Izzy to shiver and clamber his way out of the tub. They probably had one of the most dangerous showers in the neighborhood. The bathtub had tall, rounded sides- one of those clawfoot bathtubs. It made the bathroom look nice but it was a hazard unless you were six feet tall. Drunk or sober it was a game of life or death showering. He would never complain about the house though. It was a steal of a deal and in a safer area of Los Angeles. Their first house was in an area a step or two above the term ‘wrong side of the tracks’, it had curb appeal until you looked further down the street and saw the deteriorating houses. Sadly there was no ways to avoid going past the sketchier parts of the neighborhood which would later prompt their move.

Izzy towelled off and wrapped the plush towel around himself. He couldn’t be bothered to sort out his hair and allowed it to do whatever it pleased. He scooped up his clothes and grabbed the phone making a beeline for his room. His damp feet leaving little marks on the hardwood as he walked briskly down the hall and was welcomed by the familiar soft carpet of his room. The phone cord only reached so far into his room but it was enough to be able to set the phone in the middle of the room; only catch being he would have to sit on the floor. He wasn’t complaining, not yet.

While getting dressed Izzy started to devise a plan to usurp the throne from Axl. He knew this mess and lack of care for rules were connected to that redheaded terror. He would never dare try to overrule Duff but he would do it to Izzy. Axl always thought he had power over him which was far from the truth. What the redhead could produce in screaming and intimidation was no match for Izzy’s stubbornness and strong willed patience. He could twist and turn as much as he wanted but Izzy would always have a firm grip on the matter till the fight was gone and Axl gave up.

Axl had crocodile tears while Izzy had a crocodile death roll. They put up an equal fight with each other and the only person who could truly deal with the redhead was Izzy. He knew half the screaming battle and intimidation was because Axl spent the first twelve years of his life unable to defend himself when he truly needed too. Izzy couldn’t fault him for it because all he wanted was to be heard and have someone make him feel better. He just happened to be the one other person in this world Izzy had patience for. Axl would test his patience only because they were friends or until Izzy held him close and told him to calm down.

That’s what made Duff and Axl so similar. They relied on Izzy to hold them close till their problems faded away. Duff’s anxiety and Axl’s past made them both vulnerable at times. Broken though whole in so many ways. Two continuous ups and downs that kept Izzy on his toes.

The shrill sound of the phone ringing made Izzy to drop his shirt and dive for the phone. He figured the idiots downstairs weren’t going to pick up the phone.

“Hello!”

A familiar chuckle echoed through the phone. “Hey, how are you doing?”

“Good. Why didn’t you call sooner? Is everything okay?” Izzy quizzed. His natural instincts to worry and fuss kicked in as he interrogated his boyfriend. He sat down on the floor and leaned back against the foot of the bed. His hair dripped onto his bare chest causing him to shiver.

On the other end Duff twirled a piece of his tangled blonde hair and leaned against the wall. Most of his siblings were scattered around the house but a few were situated near him in the living room. “You worry too much. I’m fine, I decided to keep driving too many sketchy gas stations. Anyways, how are the boys?” Duff asked quickly changing the subject.

“Well let’s just say I have to overthrow a tyrant before anyone is going to listen to me,” Izzy said.

Duff adjusted the phone on his shoulder and scowled at his brother who made kissy lips at him. He wasn’t even home an hour and he was already sick of his siblings. “My success with them has always been Steven. He likes rules, he wants to please everyone, and most of all he wants to be helpful. That or like I suggested, take the Atari away,” Duff said confidently.

“Or kill them all and enjoy the peace,” Izzy said sarcastically. He heard the hushed tones of other voices and Duff telling them to leave him alone.

“They would haunt you especially Axl,” Duff chuckled.

Izzy frowned at the thought. There was probably truth behind those words. Axl was vengeful enough to haunt someone dead or alive. “It’s a risk I might have to take if they don’t keep the house clean,” Izzy threatened playfully.

“Damn it, I have to go. I’ll try to call later when everyone is home. I love you,” Duff whispered the last part into the phone.

“I love you too.”

The phone click and Izzy was left alone again.

Not alone completely but he felt like an outsider in his own home. Going downstairs to start a potential fight didn’t seem worth it. Yelling at Steven and Slash wasn’t going to change the fact that the house was a disaster it would only encourage them to resist his demands more. Izzy put the phone back onto the receiver and buried his head in his hands.

“You’re in control,” Izzy whispered to himself. He didn’t want to acknowledge how many times he talked to himself today. It would only freak him out.

A giggling sound in the hall that sounded a lot like the munchkins of Oz made Izzy aware he wasn’t alone. He didn’t dare look up, he wasn’t in the mood to face whoever or whatever was about to torment him. In his head he kept chanting two phrases; I’m in hell and I’m in control.

“You’re in control,” the dopey voice parroted.  

Izzy peaked through his fingers to see a pair of striking blue eyes peeking through the crack of the door. This was his one refuge and he wasn’t going to let these idiots invade it. “FUCK OFF!” screamed Izzy. He swiftly crawled forward on his knees and slammed the door in Steven’s face.

Outside the door Steven rubbed his nose and giggled. He figured Izzy would not be in a social mood but it was always worth a shot. All he intended to do was ask if Izzy wanted to help make lunch.

Both Slash and Steven avoided Izzy for the rest of the day. They knew better than to stoke the fire too much. It was when Axl arrived home that Izzy emerged from his room and he looked unimpressed. He calmly asked if they could all make supper and talk. Unfortunately there was a little resistance on Axl’s side which lead them all back to the living room. Izzy sat down in Duff’s chair and waited for Axl, Slash, and Steven to take a seat on the couch.

Out of almost nervous necessity Izzy started steepling his fingers.

Axl’s face was stone cold, Slash was zoned out and unfocused from his afternoon of smoking, and Steven nervously chewed at his thumbnail.

“I don’t want to be the bad guy,” Izzy started. His blue eyes looked down at his lap for a brief moment and he thought of how strong Duff would be in this moment which gave him the courage to look back up at his roommates. “Consider this day one. We’re all getting used to the idea of Duff not being here. That being said Duff and I both have rules because this is our house. You guys contribute to the rent and we appreciate that but there needs to be some consideration for the home we have. We don’t live like this,” Izzy said untangling his fingers and gesturing to the mess around them.

Steven’s eyes surveyed the room and he instantly felt guilty.

“It’s only a few dishes. I don’t know why you always need to bring up the fact that you and Duff put the most money into renting this place,” Axl snipped back.

Izzy’s neutral look faltered and his expression dropped into a more solemn look. He knew it was a sore spot for Axl and Slash that they only could contribute so much. “I’m grateful for you guys and I never intended to sound like we do more. All I want is for the house to be clean because right now it looks like the makings of a crack house. Today is a light warning. This house needs to be cleaned up and there will be no more smoking weed in the house either. Next time I am unplugging the Atari and will slowly take away every electronic in this house. Am I making myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Steven said nervously.

Axl narrowed his eyes at Izzy and glared daggers at his best friend.

“Why didn’t you clean then? You spent all day in your room,” Slash mumbled. He wasn’t thinking when he said that and he winced when Axl elbowed him in the side.

Izzy couldn’t look at them. His blue eyes were itching all day and he wasn’t in the right mind to argue or defend himself. He couldn’t stay around these people. They were ungrateful and cruel. He didn’t deserve this kind of treatment in his own home. He got up from Duff’s chair and left the living room, avoiding all the mess around him. He skipped the stairs two at a time and went back to the safety of his room. He slammed the door as hard as he could. The dim light greeted him and he flipped on the bedside lamp to provide a warm glow to the room.

“I’m in control,” Izzy kept telling himself as he paced around his bedroom. He didn’t notice he was saying it loudly or to the point of screaming till there was a knock on the door.

Axl grew increasingly worried as he heard Izzy’s voice desperately repeating the same phrase. He knew it was against the rules to enter Izzy and Duff’s room but he figured right now was a valid enough reason to break those rules. He cautiously twisted the door knob and pushed the door open. He peeked into the two inch gap he created and saw his best friend in tears. He paced like a caged animal all the while telling himself he was in control. Axl slipped into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

“Izzy,” Axl said gently reaching out to touch the brunette’s shoulder.

Izzy stopped pacing and looked over his shoulder at Axl who was nothing but sympathetic. His stone cold expression from the living room faded into a softer look. It was full of love and understanding. The kind of look Duff gave him when he had a really bad day.

“Come here,” Axl said pulling his best friend into a warm embrace. Usually it was him who needed Izzy to comfort him and bring him back to reality.

It was hard to hold back the tears and frustration. Izzy didn’t like that he was openly crying in front of his best friend. This was a sign of weakness. “I’m sorry. All I want is the rules followed. I want Duff to return to a perfect home,” Izzy wailed.

“I know. I told Slash and Steven to start cleaning the house. I promise to make sure the rules are followed. I’ve never seen you cry before and I don’t like it. So I’m sorry for being a jerk and encouraging the others,” Axl said sincerely.

Izzy gave him a tight squeeze then tried to pull away from the strong arms wrapped around him. His free hand came up to wipe away the tears from his eyes when he realized he wasn’t getting away from Axl’s hug that easily. “If their cleaning we should go make supper,” Izzy offered.

“You’re in control you know,” Axl said reassuringly. He heard Duff whisper that to Izzy many times when he was in a mood. The two of them were an odd couple; one was constantly anxious perfectionist and the other a selectively shy control freak. “Okay, this is getting weird. I love you but it’s time to dry those tears. We have supper to make.”

Downstairs Slash and Steven worked diligently to clean up the mess. Neither of them complaining or challenging each other. Axl’s acidic words were enough to put both of them in their place and sober Slash all in one threat. Steven only heard the group threat from Axl, the one whispered into Slash’s ear seemed more dire.

“What did Axl say to you?” Steven finally asked after Axl walked back down to the main level of the house accompanied by Izzy.

Slash looked up from the shoe pile he was sorting in the landing and flicked his hair out of his face. “Basically I need to stop smoking weed in the house and help clean or I’m getting cut off. I haven’t even got past kissing or snuggling him and he’s threatening to cut me off,” Slash grumbled.

Steven snickered at Slash’s pain, “That’s what you get for messing with Izzy.”

Karma was a bitch but not as big of a bitch as Axl could be.

“Ha ha! Very funny,” Slash said sarcastically.

Steven shrugged and returned to his task of sweeping.

In the kitchen Axl offered to clean while Izzy cooked. He didn’t want to admit that his best friend was right,  the kitchen was disgusting, and even Axl could understand the stress it caused. He worked the day old mac and cheese out of the pot all the while swearing at it. The last time this house ever looked this bad was when Izzy and Duff went to Washington for a week and a half. It took more than three days to make the mess disappear.

“Son of a bitch,” Axl swore at the pot in particular. Izzy was sympathetic of his struggle and kindly offered to switch him jobs which felt like a complete cop out, so Axl declined. He helped create this mess and caused Izzy to cry, he deserved to suffer abit.

It was a little past 7:00 pm when the phone rang for the second time today and Izzy dropped the wooden spoon in his hand instantly. He ran for the phone and there was a little skip in his step. Axl bit back his comment and moved over to the oven to stir the pasta sauce Izzy made from scratch.

He grabbed the phone off the wall and eagerly answered. His happiness radiated through the kitchen as he asked Duff how his dad was and a bunch of other questions. All the while he twisted the phone cord and his smile lit up the room. Axl had a hard time believing this was the same Izzy he saw forty minutes ago. It was becoming questionable which was worse - lovesick Izzy or crying Izzy. Though the latter was somehow more disturbing to Axl. Izzy was over the moon happy as he talked about the most pointless things and all the while Axl understood why the two of them were perfect for each other. Duff had his weird little obsessions with cleaning, punk music, and collecting pig things while Izzy had his writing, obsession with blues and jazz, and collecting vinyls. They somehow complimented and completed each other and were probably the only two people in this world who could talk about pigs or jazz for hours on end.

As disgustingly lovey as they were, Axl admired Izzy’s commitment. Somehow the most noncommittal person of Lafayette managed to move to Los Angeles and find love. Duff was a keeper, the perfect mix of affectionation and strict. He kept Izzy on his toes and inline all the while loving every little fault. Together they were mature and their petty fights only lasted minutes because neither of them could stand the thought of an unresolved problem.

Axl gave Slash a small nod when he walked into the kitchen and asked if there was anything he could do to help. He watched how Slash teetered nervously from foot to foot as if he were standing on hot coals. “After supper do you maybe want to cuddle?” Axl asked cautiously. He knew he was a bit mean earlier though he felt it was for a good enough reason.

“I thou-yah I mean if you want too,” Slash said looking through the waterfall of curls that obscured his vision. He tried to play it cool and hide the excitement bubbling up inside him. Axl rarely retracted threats which meant he wasn’t on the shitlist anymore.

Axl gave Slash a devious smirk before giving him a definitive answer, “Oh, I want too.”

Izzy watched the flirtatious exchange and couldn’t help whispering into the phone that it looked like he was going to win the bet. Duff dressed up in only his lacey pink pig apron was enough to make Izzy’s mind go numb then again if he lost he had to play out Duff’s fantasy.

Master and slave.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 3! 
> 
> I got really into different insights of relationships here so my original plan diverted a bit but I am happy with this. it got a bit emotional here to so I promise no more Izzy tears! I also made this chapter a bit longer since everyone had to wait so long for me to get it posted. I meant to post it last night but I fell asleep mid-edit!


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